Package for dry ready-mix materials



Dec. 31, 1968 J. P. RITCHIE 3,419,253

PACKAGE FOR DRY READY'MIX MATERIALS Filed Feb. 5, 1968 Jov E06! fil l clla H gmimpfi aahzmw mu United States Patent Ofl ice 3,419,258 PACKAGEFOR DRY READY-MIX MATERIALS John Proctor Ritchie, Wichita, Kans.,assignor to Ritchie Brothers Construction 'Co., Wichita, Kane, apartnership Continuation-impart of application Ser. No. 625,546, Mar.23, 1967. This application Feb. 5, 1968. Ser. No. 703,105

4 Claims. (Cl. 266-47) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An elongated packagefor dry ready-mix material includes a waterproof flexible container forholding the mix, a folding spout at one corner of the container, atbellows in each side of the container, a tear strip for each bellowsfastening the edges thereof together in a contracted position forshipment, and a rip cord secured along each tear strip. When the ripcords are pulled through their tear strips, the container is allowed toexpand for receiving Water through its spout to prepare the mix for use.Ribs are sewn to the top and bottom of the container for sealing it, andthey extend about six inches beyond the sides of the bag. The package isparticularly adapted for a dry cement mix which is combined with waterin the expanded container just prior to use. The extensions of the topand bottom ribs are used as handles in mixing the contents.

RELATED APPLICATION This application is a continuation in part of anapplication of Ritchie for Package for Dry Ready-Mix Materials filedMar. 23, 1967, S.N. 625,546, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND The present invention relates to a package for readymixmaterials; more particularly, the present invention relates to a packagefor ready-mix materials adapted to be expanded to accommodate theaddition of a liquid for preparing the materials for use.

There have been attempts to provide an expandable package for ready-mixmaterials which are adapted to receive an additional amount of liquid tobe mixed with the materials in preparing them for use. A number of priorattempts have revolved about formed, rigid metal components telescopingto an expanded condition. This rigid package, besides being expensive,is not at all suited for prevailing methods of transporting and storingreadymix concrete materials, and the like, with which the presentinvention is particularly suited for use.

Another prior device includes a bag which is folded to define twoseparate compartments sealed relative to each other, the lowercompartment containing the readymix. Water or other liquid is thenpoured into the upper compartment, and the seal is opened to permit theliquid to flow into the packaged product. The bag is formed of a rigidmaterial, such as cardboard, so that in its expanded condition, it mayserve as a shaker for dry pancake mixes, etc. Again, the rigidity of thecontainer is considered disadvantageous from the viewpoint of handlingand mixing, as disclosed within.

Ready-mix materials for concrete and the like are commonly packaged in45 lb. or 90 lb. amounts. After adding a suflicient amount of water to a90 lb. package of concrete ready-mix, it would be practically impossibleto lift the package and shake it to mix the materials to the degreerequired for use.

Another attempt to provide a package for shipping dry material which isalso expandable for mixing the dry material with a liquid in preparingit for use includes a 3,419,258 Patented Dec. 31, 1968 conventionalflexible paper bag having a horizontal partition for containing the drymaterial in the lower part of the bag. The top portion of the bag isthen folded down upon the partition for shipment and storage. When it isdesired to prepare the dry material for use, the bag is unfolded and theliquid is poured in at the top. An aperture in the partition allows theliquid to permeate into the lower portion of the container to mix withthe dry material. This particular arrangement has a disadvantage thatafter mixing, the container must be torn open to apply the preparedmaterial since the aperture in the partition is of a constrictivenature, designed primarily to limit the application of the liquid duringmixing.

Summary The present invention overcomes the disadvantages in the aboveattempts to provide an expandable container for dry cement mixesincluding cement and sand, cement and gravel, and mortar and sand, byproviding pleats or bellows extending longitudinally of a flexible,heavy-duty, waterproof bag, and a tear strip fastening the edges of thepleats together thereby defining a contracted condition for the package.A rip cord extends the length of the pleat and is located adjacent thetear strip so that when it is pulled, it severs the tear strip andexpands the bag to an enlarged contour for receiving water.

In its contracted or storage and shipping condition, the package issubstantially filled with the ready-mix material so that it has theappearance of being full and is, therefore, more acceptable from amarketing standpoint.

The container also has a folding spout or dispenser through which thewater is added and extensions projecting from top and bottom ribs. Whensufficient water has been added, the spout is then folded back to itssealing position, and the contents of the expanded container may then betumbled about by gripping the rib extensions or kneaded by hand tothoroughly mix them together.

After the materials have been prepared for application, the spout isreopened and forms a dispenser for selectively dispensing the preparedmaterials.

Other advantages and features of the instant invention will be obviousto persons skilled in the art from the following detailed description ofthe preferred embodiment accompanied by the attached drawing.

Drawing FIG. 1 illustrates an empty container for dry, readymix materialwhich is constructed according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates the package of FIG. 1 wherein the container is in acontracted condition and filled with the ready-mix material; and

FIG. 3 illustrates the package of FIG. 2 in an expanded condition forreceiving water to be mixed with the contents.

Detailed description Referring then to the drawing, in FIG. 1 is seen anelongated container, generally designated as 10, made of a heavy butflexible paper. Preferably, the container 10 also has a plastic innerliner to waterproof it. The container 10 has a top rib 11 and a bottomrib 12 at which its open ends are laced and adhesively held together forproper water-proof sealing. Each of the ribs 11 and 12 extend about sixinches beyond the side of the container 10 to provide handles, 11a and12a respectively, for convenient gripping the package when mixing.

As can be seen more clearly in FIG. 3, the paper container 10 has twoaccordian pleats on one side, designated 13 and 14, and they define abifurcated bellows extending interior of the container 10. The pleats 13and 14 extend longitudinally of the container between the top and bottomribs 11 and 12. A similar bellows is provided on the opposite side ofthe container.

At one end of the pleats 13 and 14, there is provided a folding spout 15which, in its unfolded condition, defines a communicating passage way tothe interior of the container 10 for adding water (see FIG. 3) in thefirst instance, and for dispensing its contents after they have beenproperly mixed.

As best seen in FIG. 2, the spout 15 may be folded back upon itself andtucked into the bellows formed between the two side pleats 13 and 14.This will provide suflicient sealing of the package for shipment.Adjacent exterior ridges of the pleats 13 and 14 are fastened togetherby means of a tear strip 16 which may advantageously be anadhesive-coated paper of the thickness and strength of brown wrappingpaper.

As can be seen in FIG. 1, a tear strip 17, similar to the tear strip 16,fastens adjacent ridges of the pleats of the bellows defined on theother side of the container. Each of the tear strips 16 and 17 isfurther provided with a rip cord, designated respectively as 18 and 19,which extend interior of their associated bellows adjacent the tearstrip for its entire length.

The rip cord 18 is preferably secured to the tear strip 16 by itsadhesive; and the rip cord 19 is similarly secured to the tear strip 17.As can be seen from FIG. 1, the tear strip 16 extends from the rib 12 toa point adjacent the spout 15, at which point a free end of the rip cord18 protrudes. The tear strip 17 extends from the rib 12 to a pointadjacent the rib 11, at which point a free end of the rip cord 19protrudes.

As best seen in FIG. 2, when the container 10 is filled with ready-mixmaterial 20 and is ready for shipment or display, the tear strips 16 and17 form an integral part of the exterior surface of the container 10 togive it the appearance of a continuous-surface bag; and at the sametime, the container 10 is sufiiciently full that a purchaser does notget the impression of being slighted. That is to say, the material 20substantially fills the container 10 in its contracted condition.

When the rip cords 18 and 19 are pulled away from the container 10, theywill sever their respective tear strips 16 and 17 thereby freeing theirassociated bellows and permitting the container 10 to assume an expandedcondition. When it is desired to use the dry ready-mix material,sufficient water is simply added through the spout 15, as shown in FIG.3.

With the liquid thus added, the spout 15 is then folded back upon itselfand tucked back into its sealing position. If desired, the bellows canbe formed of suflicient depth to provide additional space when liquid isadded so that the rib 11 can be folded over upon itself a number oftimes for additional sealing while mixing.

The water and dry contents of the container are then mixed by grippingthe rib extensions by hand and tumbling the bag about, or by kneading itwith the hands or any instruments which is not sharp enough to tear thepaper of the container 10. Hence, in its shipping or displaying state,that is, when storing only the dry readymix materials, the container 10should be sufiiciently small so that it has the appearance of being fullto enhance consumer acceptance. In its expanded condition it mustaccommodate the liquid which is to be mixed with the dry ready-mixmaterial, and it must also provide sutficient slack so that the combinedcontents may be moved about easily for enhancing the mixing process.

It is apparent that the particular pleat configuration shown is one ofmany suitable arrangements, and that other pleats, such as facing boxpleats, will also work although production would be somewhatcomplicated.

What is claimed is:

1. A ready-mix package comprising: an elongated, flexible containerincluding scalable means defining an orifice and a pair of adjacentaccordian pleats each defining an exterior edge, and combining to definea difurcated bellows interior of said container; means securing theexterior edges of said pleats together; severing means adjacent saidsecuring means for severing the same substantially its entire lengthwhereby said package may be expanded to define an enlarged volume forreceiving a liquid; and ready-mix materials substantially filling saidcontainer when in said contracted state, said scalable orifice meanscooperating with said bellows to permit communication with the interiorof said package when opened and to seal said orifice when closed.

2. The package of claim 1 wheren said securing means comprisessever-able tear strip fastening the exterior edges of said adjacentpleats together thereby covering said bellows, and wherein said severingmeans comprises a rip cord adhesively secured to the interior surface ofsaid tear strip and extending lengthwise of said bellows for severingsaid tear strip when pulled away from the container.

3. The package of claim 1 further including first and second ribssealing respectively the top and bottom of said container and extendinglaterially thereof about six inches whereby said rib extensions may beused as grips for mixing the contents of said container.

4. The package of claim 3 further including a second bifurcated bellows,a tear strip for sealing the second bellows, and a rip cord adhesivelysecured to the interior of said second tear strip for severing the same,said first and second bellows extending between said top and bottomribs, and said orifice means communicating through one of said bellows.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,708,067 5/1955 Paton 22962.53,708,067 2/1963 Gaste 206-47 JAMES B. MARBERT, Primary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 229-62.5

